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Thousands throng Aluva to perform ‘ vavu bali’

Photo: H. Vibhu

Prayers for the souls: People performing ‘vavu bali’ on the banks of the Periyar in Aluva on Sunday. —

KOCHI: Thousands gathered at the banks of the Periyar in Aluva on Saturday to participate in the annual ‘vavu bali’ on early Sunday.

The ‘bali’ ritual is performed in the month of Karkidakam on the new moon day. The sand banks were inundated by the waters from the swollen Periyar. The waters had entered the Mahadeva temple and the officials of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) had to deploy workers to pump out the water and clear the mud and silt.

The TDB set up over a 100 ‘bali tharpanam’ platforms for people to offer ‘bali’ and pay obeisance to their forefathers.

The country crafts were not allowed to carry devotees to the temple this time owing to the strong currents and the rise in the water level in the Periyar.

The people had to travel by road to reach the temple and the sand banks.

The ‘bali’ ritual was led by Mullapilly Manackal Subramanian Namboothiri. The ritual began at 3 a.m. and continued till 2 p.m.

The Aluva rural police made elaborate arrangements to avoid the rush of the faithful.

Naval personnel were deployed on the river bank as part of security measures. K.N. Narayana Pillai, Deputy Commissioner, TDB, supervised the event.

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